Put a lid on it — or under it

I’m at the point where I’ve collected too many jars. How do you know when you have too many? When you open the cabinet and one of your beloved jars falls out due to overcrowding and shatters on your kitchen floor — that’s how you know. So now, sadly, I wash out my empty jars and send them to recycling. But recently, I discovered a few ideas for reusing jar lids…score!

Reusing jar lids

Drip catcher. Do you have a jar of honey or bottle of olive oil in your cabinet that always leaks onto your shelf? For me, it’s a pepper grinder that leaves cracked peppercorn crumbs. Slip an appropriately-sized jar lid under your bottle and the drips or crumbs will collect in the lid, not in your cabinet!

Spoon rest. When I cook, the kitchen becomes a disaster (just ask my husband). I have not yet learned the fine art of cleaning up while I cook. That being said, I often leave several messy spoons or ladels all over the counter tops. We have a proper spoon rest, but it only holds 2 spoons, the nerve! A jar lid acts as a nice stand-in for a spoon rest. Keep a few extra jar lids in the same drawer as your potholders and set them around your cooking area the next time you whip up a disaster masterpiece.

Emergency coasters. Not the most beautiful, but practical. When you run out of coasters (say you’re having a really big party), grab a few jar lids instead. If you wanted to make it look intentional, you could glue on some felt or cork to the inside and under side of the lid to make it look more like a proper coaster.

I had a jar I didn’t want to part with. I turned it into a measuring cup by putting premeasured amounts of water in it, and marking the amount on the outside with a paint pen. Now it’s very cute and kitchy and works well for my little concoctions, and with the lid stores easily in the fridge.